“I swear I’m not slow, but my head is a mess right now.”
I try to clear my mind of anything other than the job offer and the desire to test a connection between Olívia and Nina, but it’s hard to remain indifferent to her. Olívia is much more beautiful than I allowed myself to admit the first time we met.
She wears a pair of tight black leggings and a hoodie that looks like it’s from high school, judging by how it contours her generous breasts. What should be casual attire looks sexy on her. Her face is makeup-free, just like when we met at the café, but her fair skin makes her huge blue eyes pop. Her brown hair is loose, and her face looks like a painting that’s been carefully composed to present perfect harmony.
Like everything else in my life, my desire is kept under control, directed when I want to satisfy it, but Olívia arouses an almost uncontrollable urge to touch her. To feel whether her skin is as warm as her personality, although at the moment, I’m sure she’s very suspicious of why I’m here.
The biggest joke of all is that the woman driving me crazy with desire is the one I shouldn’t even think about having. Noone needs to tell me that would be a huge mistake, but what I know is right to do—keep a safe distance—and what I desire are completely different things.
She, on the other hand, still seems wary. Initially, her reluctance annoyed me, but now I’m glad she’s cautious around strangers.
When I arrived, the place where she lives already concerned me, but now, after being allowed inside, I’m sure I won’t let her continue living here.
I don’t want to be snobbish, but she doesn’t even have the basics. The girl lives in absolute poverty. I think everything she owns, as far as I can see, except for the bed and the chair I’m sitting on, must fit in a medium-sized suitcase.
I remember the cheerful way she greeted me at the café, and I wonder how a girl alone in the world and living like this can still find reasons to smile. What must it be like to live in this little room when it snows? The place has no heating system. I’m not feeling warm even in my suit—and it’s summer. Winters in Boston are harsh. The temperature is pleasant now, but when the cold days come, there’s no way she can live in this basement without catching pneumonia.
“Sir?”
I see confusion on her face, and I force myself to speak. “I want you to come work for me. I’m nothing like a fairy godmother. As I said when I arrived, I was impressed with the way you prepared the coffee. You mentioned that day that you could do better if you had the right ingredients. Well, I’d like you to come and prepare it exclusively for me in my office.”
Now her eyes are wide, and her mouth is open.
Great.
The best way to win a deal is to catch the opponent off-guard.
“You came all the way here to find me because of a coffee?”
“I always strive for excellence, Olívia, and I’ve never had anything even close to the coffee you offered me that day.” That part is true. I just came up with the rest as soon as I realized how suspicious she seemed of my intentions.
“Is this job you’re offering me temporary?”
“No, but it will all depend on your performance.” Which is true, in a way. It will depend on whether her company will be good for my daughter. I’ve decided that a gradual approach with Nina might be the best option. “Moreover, in the future, you could teach the kitchen staff at our hotels,” I add, because she still seems incredulous. “If I’m satisfied with your services, I won’t let you go.”
Oops, where the hell did I come up with that statement?
“What do you say?” I ask, because her whole face reflects doubt.
She looks down at her hands in her lap, still hesitant. “I’m sorry, but it’s almost too good to be true.”
Again, I conclude that she was very well brought up. Despite her exuberant personality and seeming to be a naturally happy girl, there is a maturity in her decision-making that I like very much.
“You’ll need to move as well.” I decide to lay all my cards on the table at once, and finally, she lifts her head to look at me.
“What do you meanmove?”
“The hotel where my office is located and where you’ll be working is at least forty minutes from here, by car, in moderate traffic. You’d have to leave very early every day to get there on time.”
“What’s the name of this hotel?”
“You’ll be at the headquarters: Caldwell-Oviedo Tower.”
Her eyes widen even more. “But I don’t have the money to pay rent in that neighborhood.”
“That won’t be a problem. We have a wing for employees who sometimes need to stay overnight there. I’ll make sure a permanent room is prepared for you. Don’t worry. You’ll have all the privacy you need.”
Her suspicious expression returns. “Just in case you’re offering more than just the job—”
